Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
Photo collage: temporary lane closure, road marking installation, cone with mounted warning light, and drum separated work zones.
Office of Operations 21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

Text from 'Innovative Project Development and Contracting Tools' PowerPoint Presentation

Workshops > Innovative Contracting

Slide 1

Blank slide

Slide 2

Innovative Project Development and Contracting Tools

Work Zone Management: Driver's Impact Consideration

Slide 3

In the beginning . . . 300BC

Design & Construction Took Generations

Comic strip: cavemen counting their fingers and toes

Traffic Engineer Meeting

Slide 4

Imagine Building this Project Today

Cartoon image: Noah's ark measured at 250 cubits

First Major Transportation Project

Slide 5

Work Zone Management

  • Plan Construction Alternatives Early
  • Involve Community & Stakeholders
  • Operations is Key to Success
  • Inform Impacted Travelers

Slide 6

Plan Construction Alternatives Early

  • Establish the Need for the Project - The Why?
  • Address Mobility Issues - Traffic Impacts
  • Evaluate all Potential Construction Alternatives
  • Consider Traffic Modeling on Mega Projects
  • Consider Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT Analysis)

Slide 7

Mega Project - Regional Impact

Graphic: Aerial view map showing the close proximity of 370, I-270, and I-170. Construction to these roads would impact Hazelwood and Florissant.

Slide 8

Address Why it's Needed & Mobility

Graphic: Aerial view map showing Graham, Pershall, Hanley, and Dunn streets in proximity to the single left-exit ramps to I-270.

Slide 9

Staging, Schedule & Closures

Graphic: I-170 at I-270 Interchange Improvements. Map showing the placement of proposed two-lane right-hand ramps added to the I-270/I-170 merge plus the addition of lanes to I-270.

Slide 10

1998 Traffic Counts

Graphic: Map showing 1998 traffic counts on specific interchanges. Traffic counts shown near the I-170 at I-270 interchanger were at 135,809 and 122,762. The busiest interchange in the state is located nearby and was measured at 131,157 and 178,396 in 1998.

Slide 11

Traffic Modeling Simulations

Slide 12

Evaluate Construction Alternatives

  • Strengths
  • Weaknesses
  • Opportunities
  • Threats

Slide 13

Involve Community & Stakeholders

  • Engaged Cities, Community Groups
  • Proposed Construction Alternatives
  • "Get-In, Get-Out and Stay Out"
  • Traffic Model (MITSIM, QuickZone, etc.)
  • Innovative Contracting A+B+C Bidding
  • Incentive / Disincentive
  • Proactive in Community Concerns

Slide 14

Community Partners

Logos for community partners:

  • North County Incorporated
  • City of Hazelwood
  • St. Louis County Highways & Traffic
  • JE Jacobs Sverdrup
  • MoDOT
  • IDOT
  • Florissant Missouri
  • Florissant Missouri Police
  • Metropolitan Congregations United

Slide 15

Keep 3 Lanes Open

Moveable Barrier vs. Bridge Widening

Graphic: close-up photo of a moveable barrier; Aerial view photo of placement of moveable barrier on a bridge

Slide 16

Traffic Control Plans

  • Get In - Get Out - Stay Out - Phase 1

Graphic: Map showing transition markers on I-270 between Parshall Road and Dunn Road, road closures on either side of Graham Road and North Hanley, and road closures on all lanes merging onto I-170.

Slide 17

Traffic Control Plans

  • Get In - Get Out - Stay Out - Phase 2

Graphic: Map showing transition markers on I-270 between Parshall Road and Dunn Road, a road closure on Dunn Road, and road closures on 2 lanes merging onto I-170.

Slide 18

Possible Alternate Routes

Graphic: Map showing construction zones along I-270 and I-170 and alternative routes drivers may take to avoid these construction zones.

Slide 19

Graphic: Map showing the I-270 north bound detour route, I-270 south bound detour route, the I-270/I-170 interchange lane closures through mid-May 2002, and through late 2003.

Slide 20

Stage 1 Alternative Analysis Summary

The table below compares Phase 1 construction conditions in the east bound and west bound lanes to existing conditions.

empty cell 2 Lanes EB 3 Lanes WB 3 Lanes EB 2 Lanes WB 3 Lanes EB 2 Lanes WB Close New Florissant & Hanley On Ramps 3 Lanes EB 2 Lanes WB Close Hanley On & Off Ramps Reversible Lanes
EB LOS Worse than Existing Conditions Better than Existing Conditions Better than Existing Conditions Better than Existing Conditions Better than Existing Conditions
WB LOS Same as Existing Conditions Degraded but Acceptable Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions

Slide 21

Stage 2 Alternatives Analysis Summary

The table below compares Phase 2 construction conditions in the east bound and west bound lanes to existing conditions.

empty cell 2 Lanes EB 3 Lanes WB 3 Lanes EB 2 Lanes WB 3 Lanes EB 2 Lanes WB Florissant On-Ramp Closed 3 Lanes EB 2 Lanes WB Hanley Off- Ramp Closed Reversible Lanes
EB LOS Degraded but Acceptable Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions
WB LOS Same as Existing Conditions Degraded but Acceptable Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions Same as Existing Conditions

Slide 22

Innovative Methods & Contracting

  • A+B+C Bidding Process
  • Incentives / Disincentives
  • Construction Staging & Scheduling
  • Materials and Methods Used

Slide 23

Operations is Key to Success

  • Work Zone Appearance & Signing
  • Work Zone Activities
  • Real Time Information and Guidance
  • Traffic Incident Management (TIM)

Slide 24

Real Time Information & Guidance

See Gateway Guide Program at www.GatewayGuide.com

Slide 25

Web Site Information - Incidents and Events

Real-Time Traveler Information on the Internet

Graphic: Screen capture of the www.GatewayGuide.com web site.

Slide 26

Information Distribution
Media Connection

  • Private Partner - Provides Center Operations including connection to major TV stations and connection to radio stations
  • Incident or Event Alert Broadcasted
  • Television Station Connection to Cameras
  • Daily Construction Updates - Email or Faxed
  • Weekly Construction Activities

Slide 27

Daily and Weekly Construction Activities

Graphic: Web site screen capture showing example construction activities (taken from the St Louis Area, Missouri Department of Transportation):

Links to the following are displayed:

  • 2003 St. Louis Highway Construction Guide
  • National Work Zone Awareness Week April 7-11
  • Hot Topics and Projects
  • Road Construction
  • Gateway Guide
  • The New I-64
  • News Releases
  • Regional Issues

Slide 28

Traffic Incident Management

Graphic: Photo of two road service patrol vehicles.

Slide 29

PM Rush Hour 1 Week After Switch

Graphic: Photo of the I-170 at I-270 Interchange after construction. There is no congestion on either interstate.

Slide 30

Morning Rush Hour
7:45 AM Friday, October 11, 2002

I-270 looking west from pedestrian bridge

Graphic: Photo showing work zone and steady flow of traffic

Slide 31

Inform Impacted Travelers

  • Prior to Construction Beginning
  • Ongoing and During Construction
  • Major Traffic Changes
  • After Completion

Slide 32

Informational Opportunities

  • Community Involvement
  • Business Meeting
  • Fliers & Brochures
  • Media Releases
  • Keep Me In the Loop E-mails
  • Advance Notification with Signs

Slide 33

Media Coverage

  • Held a News conference one week prior to the closure.
  • Three TV stations and the Post-Dispatch attended the conference.
  • The Post Dispatch ran three separate articles on the closures between April 15 and April 21.
  • Conducted live interviews with two TV stations the morning of the closure.
  • Coverage of the closures appeared on all TV and radio stations on Monday, April 22.

Slide 34

Lessons Learned

  • Community Makes Hard Decisions
  • Keep information flowing throughout project
  • "Get In - Get Out - Stay Out" most favored
  • Innovative Contracting Works! Examples include A+B+C, Lane Rentals, and Closure Fees
  • Adjust Traffic Control for Construction

Slide 35

Smart Work Zone Deployment

Investigation Of Smart Work Zone Technology:

  • High Speed Approach to Work Zone
  • Transition from Rural Area to Suburban Area
  • Reverse Traffic Flow from Back-ups
  • Advanced Notification System
  • Improved Highway Safety

Slide 36

Smart Work Zone Deployment

Partners in Deployment:

  • Midwest Smart Work Zone (5 States Research)
  • University of Missouri - Research
  • Quixote - IntelliZone System
  • St. Louis District - MoDOT

Slide 37

Smart Work Zone Deployment

Graphic: Setup of System Implementation showing placement of 6 groundhog detectors, a mobile command unit, and 2 variable message signs (VMS).

Slide 38

Smart Work Zone Deployment

Methodology of Evaluation

Driver Survey that includes collection methods. Collection methods include the following:

  • Interview—completed at gas stations, intersections
  • Mail-back—handed out at intersection south of overpass

101 surveys collected, 62 interviewed, 39 mail-backs (120 handed out to drivers)

Slides 39 and 40

Smart Work Zone Deployment

Methodology of Evaluation

Driver Survey Results:

What did the message signs cause you to do?

  • Slow down: 66.3%
  • Change your route: 3.6%
  • Did not affect your driving: 16.9%
  • Other: 13.3%

What type of vehicle were you driving?

  • Tractor trailer: 0.0%
  • Truck/SUV: 35.7%
  • Passenger car: 40.8%
  • Other: 23.5%

Were you able to read the entire message?

  • Yes: 77.6%
  • No: 22.4%

Were you able to understand the message?

  • Yes: 95.3%
  • No: 4.7%

Margin of error: ~ +-10%

Slide 41

Smart Work Zone Deployment

Conclusions from Driver Survey

  • Almost all drivers understood what message the variable message signs were trying to convey
  • Most drivers slowed down as a result of seeing the variable message signs (66.3%)

Answers and questions

Thank you, Tom Ryan
Office of Operations